Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
Lifestyle
Paige Oldfield & Sophie Collins

Dad in his 60s shares his secret to dropping five stone as he reaches New Year goal

A man in his 60s has shown that it's never too late to get healthy and change your lifestyle after deciding to take action after his weight shot up to 23 stone.

Terry Burt said he would regularly spend his evenings watching television while snacking on crisps, chocolate and sweets, but decided to kick off on a weight loss journey with his wife Angela.

The couple, from Greater Manchester, signed up a weight loss support group and took on a calorie-counting regime and the weight began to drop off – with Terry quickly losing almost five stone.

READ MORE: Irish people left in shock as man gets ‘full tank’ of petrol for just 36 cent at Dublin petrol station

“I could still have snacks, but instead of a pack of Walkers, I’d have some that were 70kcals instead,” Terry told the MEN.

“With chocolate, I would have an Alpro bar instead of a Mars bar. My head is still having these treats, but not the calorie count I would have had if it was normal.”

Since signing up to the Beeweighed programme in February, Terry managed to lose an impressive four-and-a-half stone – way ahead of his New Year target. Now weighing 16 stone, he aims to lose an extra stone by March by sticking to 1,600kcals a day.

Terry used to weigh 23 stone (Paige Oldfield)

“It really works,” he added. “If you put weight on, no one is having a go at you. They support you and the next week you draw a line under it and start again. The weight has been coming off. Usually with weight loss programmes you give up after four months and within two weeks you put the weight back on. [My weight loss] is months ahead of schedule.”

Terry, who works for a chemist delivering prescriptions, says he manages to swim twice a week which has helped him along his weight loss journey. He also sticks to eating healthy meals including pasta, chicken, fish, jacket potatoes and lots of vegetables.

“I used to have a lot of bread,” he added. “I still have bread but they are 50kcal a slice. My biggest drama was watching telly with crisps, chocolate and sweets. At Beeweighed, you can do whatever suits you. You’re not denied access to anything.

Terry's wife Angela also lost a lot of weight (Paige Oldfield)

“I’ve got a lot more energy and I’m comfortable. It’s cost me a fortune in clothes, though – I've had to get rid of a lot of stuff and get new shirts, etc. I’m fitting into clothes I’ve not worn for four or five years. My enthusiasm so far has not dropped an ounce. I’ve not thought, ‘Sod this, I’m not doing this’. It works and I’m happy.

“It’s a good group and Lynda does a good job. I’m glad I met her; she sorted my life out. I’ve not been happy with my body for around 15 years.”

Beeweighed owner Lynda Leadbetter, who holds meetings throughout the North West, added: “Terry has been an absolutely pleasure to help, he smashes his goals every week, he’s a valued member of the Denton group and I’m extremely proud of him. True story - he’s lost that much, when he was getting his brew, his trousers actually fell to the floor!”

READ NEXT :

Get breaking news to your inbox by signing up to our newsletter

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.